Hawaiian Style Thanksgiving Dishes

by Michele Cheplic | More from this Blogger

19 Nov 2007 05:00 PM

No, you don't have to live in Hawaii to create the following recipes. I selected ones that included ingredients that are readily available at markets on "the mainland."

For those of you who do not read my regular blogs (Valorie has been kind enough to allow me to guest blog here) I was born and raised in Hawaii, but left the island paradise nearly two decades ago to attend college in Wisconsin (don't ask)... and the rest, as they say, is history.

However, no matter where I spend Thanksgiving I like to include a bit of home into my feast. People in Hawaii LOVE their food and they see Thanksgiving as yet another way to incorporate the islands' diverse culture into a hearty meal. A typical Thanksgiving spread in Hawaii includes both ham and turkey along with traditional side dishes such as sushi, lomi salmon, rice, Chinese noodles, Korean kalbi ribs, Hawaiian poke (marinated raw fish), and Okinawan sweet potato pie.

Most Hawaiian-style Thanksgiving feasts also include the following easy to prepare dishes:

PUMPKIN MACADAMIA NUT PIE

Ingredients:

1 can (1 pound) pumpkin

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

2/3 cup light brown sugar

2/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine pumpkin and eggs. Stir in the sugars, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and milk. Pour into pie shell. Bake 15 minutes then lower heat to 375 degrees and bake 20 more minutes.

To make topping: Cream butter with brown sugar. Stir in nuts. Use as garnish around edge of pie. Bake 7 to 10 more minutes or until filling is set; cool.

Serve with whipped cream. Serves 8.

GUAVA GLAZED SWEET POTATOES

6 sweet potatoes, cooked

1 cup guava jelly (You can find this at Whole Foods locations)

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10-inch baking dish. Cut sweet potatoes lengthwise and arrange in your prepared dish in a single layer. (Be careful not to overlap.)

In a saucepan, heat jelly and butter, stirring constantly until butter melts. Drizzle half of guava syrup over potatoes. Bake 15 minutes.

Turn potatoes; baste with remaining syrup. Bake 15 more minutes. Serves 6.

Related Articles:

Variations on the Traditional Pumpkin Pie

Super Simple Salads

Abandon the Pumpkin Pie: Pumpkin Mousse in Cinnamon Pastries

Thanksgiving Potatoes

Learn more about Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism.

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